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Who Measures a Carbon Footprint?

A carbon footprint is designed to measure the impact of human activities on the environment in relation to the release of greenhouse gas (GHG). The scientific community has reached a consensus that global warming is a reality and that human beings and their activities are a large contributing factor. By measuring carbon footprints at the macro and micro levels, we can determine how much pollution we are generating at each level, allowing us to formulate policies and make changes to our activities. Just about everyone measures carbon footprints, particularly those with the foresight to realize that global warming if left unchecked, threatens our very survival.

Scientists
- Scientists measure carbon footprints for a variety of purposes, while also formulating new ways to improve current methods of accurately gauging how much pollution we release. While scientists who work for governments and other organizations may measure carbon footprints related to specific agendas or regions, the majority of scientists are concerned with measuring the carbon footprint globally. By understanding our total pollution output, scientist can gauge the effects and speed of global warming and provide us with warnings regarding their findings.
Governments
- Government agencies at all levels from the small municipalities to international intergovernmental organizations measure carbon footprints. Those footprints range from the pollution output of a specific region or total pollution output of the entire planet. For example, the Environmental Protective Agency (EPA) might measure that total pollution output of the United States and use that information to formulate policies and recommend laws to Congress to help protect the environment. The United Nations Environment Programme measures the pollution output internationally and uses those data to convince member states to take action through signed treaties.
Business Organizations
- Business organizations concerned with the environmental and social responsibility will measure carbon footprints of both their organizational pollution output and the pollution output of the products they make. Business organizations will use the data derived to reduce organizational pollution and design products that produce less pollution.
Individuals and Households
- Everyday people and the average household concerned with the environment, measure their carbon footprint. There are a variety of reliable calculators online that allow you to input the required data and measure your own carbon footprint or that of the household. You can use this data to reduce personal and household carbon emissions.

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